Ergonomic suction syringe and methods of use

ABSTRACT

An ergonomic suction syringe and method for performing medical procedures in which suction is generated and can be delivered to a medical device by a single-handed compression motion, with suction actuated by forward motion of a piston into a cylinder, and in which suction can be maintained essentially permanently once activated without any further effort by the operator, even hands-free.

This application claims the benefit and priority date of U.S.Provisional Patent Application No. 62/815,067, EFS ID 35355265, andconfirmation number 4909, filed Mar. 7, 2019, and titled “ErgonomicSuction Syringe and Methods of Use”, and also claims the benefit andpriority date of U.S. Provisional Patent Application No. 62/889,590, EFSID 36932741, confirmation number 8285, filed Aug. 21, 2019, and titled“Ergonomic Suction Syringe and Methods of Use”. Both provisional patentapplications are incorporated herein in their entirety.

BACKGROUND

The following materials have been identified as potentially beinginformative for background purposes, and are incorporated herein intheir entirety:

Issued Patent Date Issued Inventor U.S. Pat. No. 3,566,859 Mar. 2, 1971Boris Schwartz U.S. Pat. No. 3,747,812 Jul. 24, 1973 Harvey Karman U.S.Pat. No. 38,772,864 Mar. 25, 1975 Robert E. Allen U.S. Pat. No.4,312,344 Jan. 26, 1982 Nils B. Nilson U.S. Pat. No. 4,766,908 Aug. 30,1988 Thomas P. Clement U.S. Pat. No. 4,861,335 Aug. 29, 1989 David L.Reynolds U.S. Pat. No. 5,176,642 Jan. 5, 1993 Thomas P. Clement U.S.Pat. No. 5,354,285 Oct. 11, 1994 Sergej M. Mazurik U.S. Pat. No.5,549,573 Aug. 27, 1996 Wilhelm Waskonig U.S. Pat. No. 5,891,052 Apr. 6,1999 Paul L. Simmons U.S. Pat. No. 6,245,046 Jun. 12, 2001 Wilmer L.Sibbitt U.S. Pat. No. 7,806,858 Oct. 5, 2010 Jeffrey Smith U.S. Pat. No.8,088,104 Jan. 3, 2012 Jeffrey Smith U.S. Pat. No. 9,101,713 Aug. 11,2015 Kevin P. Cowan

Patent Application No. Publication Date Inventor US20050192543A1 Sep. 1,2005 Wilmer Sibbitt US20070032743A1 Feb. 8, 2007 John A. HibnerUS20100324484A1 Dec. 23, 2010 Jeffrey Smith US20130126559A1 May 23, 2013Kevin P. Cowan US20160151570A1 Jun. 2, 2016 Edward J. RhinehartUS20190029657A1 Jan. 31, 2019 Morten Gulev

Non-Patent Literature Documents

-   Randy R. Sibbitt, Wilmer L. Sibbitt, Jr, Sharon E. Nunez,    Lawrence G. Kettwich, Sharon C. Kettwich, and Arthur D. Bankhurst.    Control and Performance Characteristics of Eight Different Suction    Biopsy Devices. J Vasc Intery Radiol 2006; 17:1657-1669.-   Christopher J. Foster, Robert J. Teskey, Catherine M. Kells,    Blair J. O'Neill, Nancy Fitzgeralld, Kim Foshar, Cathy Peck. Does    the speed of balloon deflation affect the complication of coronary    angioplasty? Am J Cardiol 1994; 73(4):228-30.-   Alberts MB1, Shalit M, LoGalbo F. Ann Emerg Med. 2004 February;    43(2):181-6. Suction for venomous snakebite: a study of “mock venom”    extraction in a human model.

Medical procedures that require removal of large volumes of fluid or gasoften use “wall” suction, i.e., suction provided centrally within amedical facility and piped to points of care there through, withadapters that allow connecting hose and suction apparatuses to applysuction as needed for such applications. However, there are manyapplications in medicine where smaller volumes of gas, fluid, or tissueare removed assisted by manual suction for which manual dexterity isrequired, such as for example, obtaining needle biopsy of tissue, ordeflation of angioplasty balloons, for which suction is traditionallyapplied using syringes attached to medical devices such as needles orcatheters.

As an example, there are approximately 1.6 million breast needlebiopsies and 600,000 thyroid needle biopsies done in the U.S. each yearalone, with the world wide annual volume of needle biopsies estimated at5 million. Needle biopsies can be done with automated cutting needles,like the commercially available Temno or Biopty needles, or with needlebiopsy, either using fine needle aspiration (FNA) or manual coringneedles (e.g., Franseen biopsy needle, Chiba biopsy needle). For eitherFNA or manual cutting needle biopsy, one method to obtain tissue is toperform an imaging test, often either ultrasound or computed tomography,based on the images plan a skin entry site for a biopsy needle, thenusually under real time medical imaging guidance the needle is advancedinto the tissue to be biopsied. Once appropriate position of the tip ofthe needle is confirmed, the stylet is removed from the needle (ifpresent), suction is applied to the needle in an effort to draw tissueto be sampled into the needle lumen. Once this is achieved, the needleis often rotated and advanced and retracted over a few millimeters, andthen the needle removed from the body, and the tissue sample expressedfrom the needle lumen or from the syringe, as needed. Tissue samples arethen sent to a pathologist for analysis.

Worldwide, there are more than 7 million balloon angioplasty proceduresdone annually, and furthermore, angioplasty balloon catheters are oftenused in organs other than blood vessels, for example to dilate softtissue tracts to permit percutaneous nephrolithotomy, passage ofdrainage tubes, placement of feeding tubes percutaneously, and to allowstents or tubes to be placed to bypass obstructions caused by tumors,for example in the biliary system. In addition to plain balloonangioplasty, angioplasty balloons are used often for deployment ofvascular stents, for delivery of antiproliferative medications at sitesof vascular interventions, during placement of endografts for aorticaneurysms, and for delivery of aortic valve prostheses percutaneously,among others.

Percutaneous balloon angioplasty is done using angioplasty ballooncatheters. Angioplasty balloon catheters comprise a catheter with aballoon mounted toward a distal end. Said balloon is inflated duringoperation to treat a stenotic lesion, and then deflated and removed fromthe body. A typical angioplasty balloon catheter used in the peripheralcirculation has an overall length of approximately 40-150 cm, with thelength of the balloon approximately 2-20 cm, depending on the length ofa stenosis being treated. Once appropriately positioned within the body,angioplasty balloons can be inflated by connecting a syringe orinflation device to the balloon lumen hub adapter, and then pressurizingfluid or gas in the chamber of the syringe or inflation device usuallyby manually depressing or advancing a piston in a cylinder of saidsyringe or of said inflation device. Angioplasty balloons, once fullyinflated, do not need to stay inflated long. In order to deflate theangioplasty balloon, an operator applies suction to the angioplastyballoon lumen.

The usual method of creating suction manually for many medicalprocedures is to use a syringe, with the piston in the syringe placedfully into the cylindrical bore, then connecting said syringe to anadapter of the system requiring suction, then retracting the piston outof the cylinder to create suction. Using commonly available syringes,creating suction using a syringe is a two-hand operation, because thesyringe body cylinder and the syringe need to be retracted in oppositedirections. The disadvantage of conventional syringes when used tocreate suction is that they are not ergonomic, and for examplemaintaining suction on a needle during manipulation to obtain the tissuespecimen is difficult, because in order to maintain suction two handsare required to distract the piston out the back of the syringe, leavingno free hand to perform rotation and advancement-retraction of theneedle. Often an operator will attempt to manually “lock” the piston inits distracted position using one hand, but this is clumsy and doesn'tafford optimal manual control of the needle.

There is a significant disadvantage to the current method of syringedeflation of angioplasty balloons, namely, that an operator must retractthe piston out of the cylinder usually with two hands, and hold it asfar out as possible with maximum manual force. This traction motion ofthe piston relative to the cylinder is not ergonomic. It often takesangioplasty balloons 20 or more seconds to fully deflate to the degreethat they can be safely removed from the body. So, angioplasty balloondeflation is slow, laborious, and not ergonomic for the operator.Furthermore, slow balloon deflation times are associated with worseoutcomes after coronary artery angioplasty (Christopher J. Foster,Robert J. Teskey, Catherine M. Kells, Blair J. O'Neill, NancyFitzgerald, Kim Foshar, Cathy Peck. Does the speed of balloon deflationaffect the complication of coronary angioplasty? Am J Cardiol 1994;73(4):228-30), so a way to apply ergonomically high-pressure suctionusing a single-hand device that, once actuated, maintains suctionwithout other manipulation until the operator releases it would be amajor advance and adjunct to the balloon angioplasty procedure.

There are several disadvantages of current manual suction devices andmethods for obtaining manual suction on medical devices to performmedical procedures as done at present, such as:

(a) Creating suction with a conventional syringe is a bimanual, ortwo-hand, maneuver, leaving no hand free for operation of the medicaldevice.(b) The need to actively maintain suction throughout a medical procedurehinders facile manipulation of a medical device.(c) Current manual suction devices cannot maintain suction hands-free,and require continual force to be applied to maintain suction.(d) To create suction with a conventional syringe requires a pullingmotion between the piston and the cylinder, i.e., they are retractedapart rather than compressed together, said pulling movement being moredifficult to achieve than a pushing motion because of the relativestrength of the involved muscle groups in humans.(e) To achieve high negative pressures, i.e., suction, a largeconventional syringe is typically used, for example 20-60 ml, which isbulky and reduces fine control of the attached medical device.(f) Applying continued bimanual force on a large syringe, for examplemore than 15 seconds to evacuate an angioplasty balloon, requiresconsiderable strength and can result in muscle and operator fatigue.(g) Angioplasty balloon inflation devices are poorly designed to createsuction because of their relatively small cylinder size and becauseoften a large part or most of said cylinder is filled with fluid toperform balloon inflation, further reducing the chamber size forachieving the suction.(h) Relatively slow angioplasty balloon deflation times can result inadverse events and patient injury compared to more rapid angioplastyballoon deflation times.

SUMMARY

The disclosure herein is a hand-held medical device that comprises anergonomic suction syringe that can generate substantial suction to betransmitted to other medical devices such as biopsy needles orangioplasty balloons with ergonomic one-handed operation by forwardmotion of a piston into a cylinder of a syringe. In one embodiment, theinvention is an ergonomic suction syringe, the operation being generallyreversed compared to a conventional syringe because when a piston isadvanced forward into the cylinder negative pressure is transmitted toan adapter tip instead of positive pressure, and by extension saidnegative pressure is transmitted to an attached medical device. Thus,the ergonomic suction syringe works opposite of a conventional syringe,i.e., when the piston is moved in a forward direction into a cylinder,suction is generated in an attached medical device rather than pressure.An ergonomic suction syringe comprises a hollow cylinder within which apiston is slidably contained, and has a back end generally disposedtoward an operator, said back end including a mechanism for manipulationof a piston, and a forward end generally disposed toward a medicaldevice that includes an adapter tip, said adapter tip allowingconnection to another medical device, for example a needle or catheter,for example by means of a Luer lock connection, said medical devicegenerally comprising a hollow lumen. An ergonomic suction syringe has acylinder that has two generally air-tight chambers, comprising a backchamber disposed toward said back end and a forward chamber disposedtoward said forward end, said back chamber and said forward chamberbeing separated by a piston head, said piston head occupying essentiallythe entire cross-sectional area of an interior of said cylinder, saidpiston head comprising a sealable but slidable interface with an innerwall of said cylinder, and said piston head mounted on a forward end ofa piston rod, said rod occupying less than essentially the entire-crosssectional area of the interior of said cylinder, said piston headfunctioning generally as a diaphragm between said back chamber and saidforward chamber. Unlike many conventional syringes, said back chamber isnot open to the atmosphere at its back end, but is sealed off by amembrane, said membrane having an aperture through which said piston rodmoves slidably, but comprising an air-tight seal to said piston rod.When said piston is advanced into said cylinder, suction is generated insaid back chamber. As said piston is advanced slidably forward withinsaid cylinder, vacuum pressure increases in said back chamber. Saidergonomic suction syringe comprises a means to transmit said vacuumpressure from said back chamber to said forward chamber. In oneembodiment, said means to transmit vacuum to said forward chamber isdeformation of a gasket adherent to said piston head, said gasket havinga first configuration, said gasket deforming to a second configurationafter a critical threshold of vacuum in said back chamber is achieved,said critical threshold actuating said gasket, thereby resulting in achange in said gasket's physical shape, thereby permitting escape of gasfrom said forward chamber to said back chamber, accompanied bytransmission of said suction pressure from said back chamber to saidforward chamber, and by extension to a hollow lumen of said attachedmedical device. In one embodiment, a means to allow gas exchange betweensaid forward chamber and said back chamber is a shape or configurationof said piston head, and in another embodiment said means to allow gasexchange between said forward chamber and said back chamber is amechanical apparatus, e.g., a valve. In yet a third exemplaryembodiment, said means of transmitting vacuum from said back chamber tosaid forward chamber is a perforation in said piston rod or in saidpiston head, said perforation not communicating with said forwardchamber until said piston rod is advanced to a preferred location insaid forward chamber, whereupon when said perforation is positioned atsaid preferred location said perforation creates a window between saidback chamber and said forward chamber. In another variation of saidthird exemplary embodiment, said window between said back chamber andsaid forward chamber is created by having an inner cylinder tube elementthat is fixed in position relative to said cylinder, is slidablyinserted within said piston rod, said lumen of said inner cylinder tubebeing sealed toward the back chamber but having at least a perforationin its forward end, said perforation being capable of aligning with saidperforation in said piston rod when said piston rod is advanced to apreferred position forward within said cylinder. Said inner cylindertube may also have at least a second perforation located forward of saidpiston rod perforation to allow gas or liquid in said forward chamber tobe expelled from the tip of said ergonomic suction syringe when saidpiston rod is advanced in said cylinder, said advancement therebypressurizing said gas or said liquid.

In an exemplary embodiment, when said vacuum is transmitted to the tipof said ergonomic suction syringe, said vacuum would remain withoutrequiring continued application of force for as long as the operatordesires, generally permanently, without any manual contact whatsoever,that is, hands-free for example when used for deflation of angioplastyballoons or tissue biopsy. However, retraction of the plunger out ofsaid back end of said cylinder has a means to cause a loss of sealbetween said forward chamber and said back chamber, thereby releasingsuction applied at said adapter tip and by extension any medical deviceattached thereto. Further, if the ergonomic suction syringe is connectedto a needle, or to the hub of an angioplasty balloon lumen of anangioplasty balloon, suction applied to said needle and to saidangioplasty balloon lumen would persist until either the ergonomicsuction syringe is disconnected from said needle or said angioplastyballoon lumen or until said piston is retracted. Such an ergonomicsuction syringe permits single-hand actuation of suction for procedureswhere fine motor control is useful, like during fine needle aspiration,further assisted by the ability to set suction by a forward, one-handed,slidable movement of the piston within the syringe cylinder, and thenretention of suction for the duration of the medical procedurehands-free without any further effort by an operator.

An ergonomic suction syringe significantly facilitates deflation ofangioplasty balloons compared to conventional syringes, becauseangioplasty balloons often deflate slowly, 17 seconds or more, which isa long time to maintain bimanual traction on a syringe. For example, anangioplasty procedure could consist of an operator inflating anangioplasty balloon with a dedicated inflator or a conventional syringe,and when satisfied that the angioplasty has been completed, saidoperator removing said conventional syringe or balloon inflator andattaching an ergonomic suction syringe by slidably moving said plungerforward with one hand using a thumb to advance said piston and twofingers used to control the cylinder, causing the piston to advance intothe cylinder, and once suction is actuated to an attached angioplastyballoon lumen the operator no longer needs to continue to apply anyforce, or even to hold the ergonomic suction syringe, while theangioplasty balloon deflates.

In one exemplary embodiment, a forward chamber of an ergonomic suctionsyringe has a one-way check valve that permits movement of pressurizedgas or liquid from the forward chamber to an atmosphere when a piston isslidably moved forward within a cylinder when an adapter tip of saidergonomic suction syringe is connected to a closed-system medicaldevice, for example, to a lumen of an inflated angioplasty balloon, saidone-way check valve serving to preserve suction by closing of saidone-way check valve to prevent inflow of gas from said atmosphere intosaid forward chamber when suction is transmitted into said forwardchamber. Said one-way check valve could be integral to the cylinder or aremovable component, can be located toward a forward aspect of thecylinder, on said adapter tip, or an external component attached to saidadapter tip. Said ergonomic suction syringe could be incorporated intoan inflation device as an integral component of it, or be a componentand assembled along with an inflation device as a modular device for usefor example to inflate and to deflate angioplasty balloons through acommon connection to said angioplasty balloon.

An exemplary method of operation of an ergonomic suction syringe forimparting suction to an attached medical device comprises:

(a) attaching said ergonomic suction syringe comprising a back endgenerally disposed toward an operator and a front end generally disposedtoward a medical device during use, said ergonomic suction syringecomprising a cylinder including at least two generally air-tightchambers, including at least a back chamber disposed toward said backend and a forward chamber disposed toward said forward end, said forwardchamber and said back chamber being separated by a piston head, saidpiston head mounted to a piston rod, said back chamber having a means toprevent loss of suction through said back chamber back end, said pistonhead occupying essentially the entire cross-sectional area of theinterior of the cylinder, said piston head or said piston rod comprisinga means for transmission of vacuum from said back chamber to said frontchamber, said piston head also comprising a means to further seal saidpiston head outer diameter to an inner diameter of said cylinder, exceptin one exemplary embodiment when a critical threshold of suctionpressure in said back chamber is exceeded, said piston head functioningessentially as a diaphragm between said two chambers, and said pistonhead mounted on the forward end of said piston rod, said piston rodoccupying less than essentially the entire-cross sectional area of theinterior of the cylinder, securely to a medical device, for example, aneedle, a suction tube such as for example a Yankauer tip, anangioplasty balloon lumen, and a catheter, by means of an adapter tip,for example, a Luer lock connection. In one exemplary embodiment, meansof transmitting vacuum from said back chamber to said forward chamber isa perforation in said piston rod or in said piston head, saidperforation not communicating with said forward chamber until saidpiston rod is advanced to a preferred location in said forward chamber,whereupon when said perforation is positioned at said preferred locationsaid perforation creates a window between said back chamber and saidforward chamber. In another variation of said third exemplaryembodiment, said window between said back chamber and said forwardchamber is created by having an inner cylinder tube element that isfixed in position relative to said cylinder, is slidably inserted withinsaid piston rod, said lumen of said inner cylinder tube being sealedtoward the back chamber but having at least a perforation in its forwardend, said perforation being capable of aligning with said perforation insaid piston rod when said piston rod is advanced to a preferred positionforward within said cylinder. Said inner cylinder tube may also have atleast a second perforation located forward of said piston rodperforation to allow gas or liquid in said forward chamber to beexpelled from the tip of said ergonomic suction syringe when said pistonrod is advanced in said cylinder, said advancement thereby pressurizingsaid gas or said liquid.(b) actuating suction in the forward chamber by slidably advancing saidpiston in a forward direction within said chamber, compressed gas insaid forward chamber escaping through said one-way valve, said pistonadvanced until a means of transmitting vacuum from said back chamber tosaid forward chamber is achieved, thereby allowing vacuum to betransmitted by extension to an attached medical device.

For example, an angioplasty procedure could consist of an operatorinflating an angioplasty balloon with a dedicated inflator or aconventional syringe, and when satisfied that the angioplasty has beencompleted, removing said dedicated inflator or conventional syringe andattaching an ergonomic suction syringe, then advancing a piston in saidergonomic suction syringe while maintaining a cylinder of said ergonomicsuction syringe in stable position relative to said piston using onehand, said suction being transmitted to an attached medical device. Oncesuction is applied the operator no longer needs to continue to apply anyforce, or even to hold the ergonomic suction syringe, to maintain vacuumin said attached medical device. As another example of evacuating anangioplasty balloon, both said dedicated inflation device orconventional syringe and said ergonomic suction syringe could beconnected through a mutual connector to said angioplasty balloon lumen.Other exemplary medical applications for an ergonomic suction syringeinclude: blood vessel needle access, joint aspiration, spinal fluidaspiration, abscess drainage, kidney needle access, biliary needleaccess, gall bladder needle access, surgical wound drainage, andmedication reconstitution.

Advantages of an ergonomic suction syringe:

(a) Creating suction with an ergonomic suction syringe can be done withone hand, leaving the other hand for other tasks, for example, forperformance of a tissue biopsy.(b) Once suction is achieve in a lumen of said medical device, nofurther effort is required by the operator to maintain suctionessentially permanently, and said suction can even be maintainedhands-free of the ergonomic suction syringe, hands-free.(c) Creation of suction with an ergonomic suction syringe is done withergonomic compression motion of the piston relative to the cylinder,which is mechanically advantageous compared to pulling.(d) Creating suction with one hand facilitates performance of medicalprocedures, enabling fine-motor control of medical devices, for example,biopsy needles(e) Applying single-hand forward motion of the piston into the cylinderto achieve suction in the forward chamber and thereby in any attachedmedical device is ergonomic easy and fast, requiring only a second ortwo of force, thereby mitigating the chance of muscle fatigue.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION

FIG. 1 is a cut-away longitudinal view of an exemplary embodiment of anergonomic suction syringe.

FIG. 2 is another cut-away longitudinal view of an exemplary embodimentof a reverse operation syringe, in this view with finger rings as ameans for manipulation of said reverse operation syringe.

FIG. 3 is an end-on view of an example of a component of an ergonomicsuction syringe, comprising a piston head.

FIG. 4 is an oblique view of an example of a component of an ergonomicsuction syringe, comprising a piston head gasket.

FIG. 5A is a cut-away longitudinal view of an exemplary embodiment of anergonomic suction syringe. FIG. 5B is a cut-away longitudinal view of anexemplary embodiment of an ergonomic suction syringe.

FIG. 6A is a cut-away view of a component of an exemplary embodiment ofan ergonomic suction syringe comprising a one-way valve. FIG. 6B is acut-away view of a component of another exemplary embodiment of anergonomic suction syringe comprising a one-way valve. FIG. 6C is acut-away view of a component of another exemplary embodiment of anergonomic suction syringe comprising a one-way valve. FIG. 6D is acut-away view of a component of another exemplary embodiment of anergonomic suction syringe comprising a one-way valve.

FIG. 7 is a surface view of a lateral aspect of an exemplary embodimentof an ergonomic suction syringe.

FIG. 8 is a cut-away longitudinal view of another exemplary embodimentof an ergonomic suction syringe, in this illustration with the pistonhead in a forward position but vacuum not transmitted to the tip adapterof the ergonomic suction syringe.

FIG. 9 is a cut-away longitudinal view of a similar exemplary embodimentof an ergonomic suction syringe of FIG. 8, in this illustration with thepiston head in a forward position in alignment such that vacuum istransmitted to the tip adapter of the ergonomic suction syringe.

FIG. 10A is an oblique surface view of an exemplary embodiment of anergonomic suction syringe, and FIG. 10B is an end-on surface view of thesame embodiment of an ergonomic suction syringe from the distal tip end.

FIG. 11A is an oblique surface view of another exemplary embodiment ofan ergonomic suction syringe, and FIG. 11B is an end-on surface view ofthe same embodiment of an ergonomic suction syringe from the distal tipend.

FIG. 12 is a cut-away longitudinal view of another exemplary embodimentof an ergonomic suction syringe.

FIG. 13 is a cut-away longitudinal view of another exemplary embodimentof an ergonomic suction syringe.

FIG. 14A is an oblique surface view of an exemplary embodiment of apiston head gasket. FIG. 14B is an oblique surface view of anotherconfiguration of an exemplary embodiment of a piston head gasket.

FIG. 15A is a cut-away longitudinal view of an exemplary embodiment ofan ergonomic suction syringe in configuration where the vacuum is nottransmitted to an adapter at the distal tip of said ergonomic suctionsyringe. FIG. 15B is a cut-away longitudinal view of an exemplaryembodiment of an ergonomic suction syringe in configuration where thevacuum is transmitted to an adapter at the distal tip of said ergonomicsuction syringe.

FIG. 16A is a cut-away longitudinal view of an exemplary embodiment ofan ergonomic suction syringe in configuration where the vacuum is nottransmitted to an adapter at the distal tip of said ergonomic suctionsyringe. FIG. 16B is an en face view of an exemplary embodiment of apiston head configuration. FIG. 16C is an en face view of anotherexemplary embodiment of a piston head configuration. FIG. 16D is an enface view of yet another exemplary embodiment of a piston headconfiguration.

FIG. 17A is a cut-away longitudinal view of an exemplary embodiment ofan ergonomic suction syringe in configuration where the vacuum is nottransmitted to an adapter at the distal tip of said ergonomic suctionsyringe. FIG. 17B is an en face view of an exemplary embodiment of apiston head configuration.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

An ergonomic suction syringe as disclosed herein is designed to createsuction in an attached medical device when a piston is advanced into asyringe cylinder, rather than pressure, and as such, will transmitsuction to an attached medical device, rather than injecting pressurizedfluids or gases. From FIG. 1, an exemplary embodiment of an ergonomicsuction syringe comprises a cylinder 10 and a piston 16, said pistoncomprising a piston rod 17 and a piston head 18, said ergonomic suctionsyringe including a back end 11 generally disposed toward an operatorduring use, and a forward end 12 generally disposed toward a medicaldevice during use, said forward end 12 including a tip adapter 101 thatallows the ergonomic suction syringe to be connected reversibly to othermedical equipment, for example, a needle and a catheter, in someembodiments by a Luer lock connection, and also is a means of egressfrom a forward chamber 14 for transmission of fluids, gases, or liquidstherethrough. Said ergonomic suction syringe includes a back chamber 13,said back chamber 13 closed to said atmosphere by a diaphragm 108, saiddiaphragm 108 having an aperture whereby said piston rod 17 can moveslidably there through, said piston 16 having a piston rod 17 and saidaperture 109 having a first generally air-tight seal, said ergonomicsuction syringe in which negative pressure is generated in said backchamber 13 by forward sliding motion of a piston head 18 relative tosaid cylinder, said piston head 18 oriented generally perpendicular tothe long axis of said cylinder 10, said piston head 18 generallyseparating said cylinder 10 into said back chamber 13 and said forwardchamber 14, movement in a forward direction of said piston 16 actuatedfor example by force applied to a piston tab 100 while simultaneouslyconstraining forward motion of the cylinder 10, which the operator mayperform for example by holding the cylinder 10 or by manuallycontrolling tabs 15, for example by a one-hand maneuver, said forwardadvancement of said piston head 18 transmitted by said piston rod 17. Inthis example, a second air-tight seal between said forward chamber 14and said back chamber 13 comprises a gasket 19 affixed to the pistonhead 18, or in other embodiments, a gasket affixed around thecircumference of said piston head 18.

FIG. 2 is another exemplary embodiment of a reverse operation syringe,in this example illustrating an ergonomic suction syringe with aplurality of ring tabs 20 on at least said cylinder and at least anotherring tab on said piston 21.

FIG. 3 is an illustration of an exemplary embodiment of a piston head18, comprising a structure that is generally circular in one aspect, butin general is shaped like a short cylinder or a disk in that said pistonhead presents an essentially circular shape when viewed en face butpresents an essentially rectangular shape when viewed from a side. Inone example, the piston head 18 is not a perfect circle when viewedenface but contains a notch 30 in its outer edge, said notch permittingvacuum to pass from said back chamber 13 to said forward chamber 14during operation of the ergonomic suction syringe when a threshold backchamber suction pressure is achieved, thereby transmitting suction fromsaid back chamber 13 to said forward chamber 14, and, by extension, to amedical device, said medical device comprising a closed system withoutcommunication to the atmosphere, to said forward chamber 14 by securelyaffixing said medical device to an adapter tip 101. This example isprovided to illustrate one design of a defect in said piston head 18that could provide a means of transmission of vacuum from said backchamber to said forward chamber once a critical threshold of vacuum isexceeded and a change in configuration of said piston gasket 19 occurs,but one can readily appreciate that many other configurations of defectsin said piston head could achieve the same function, such as fornoncomprehensive example fenestrations, flap valves, trap doors, hingedsegments. When attached to a closed system, suction will essentiallyremain until the piston is move back relative to the cylinder 10,whereupon the gasket will be deformed and not provide an airtight seal,and gas will move from the back chamber 13 into said forward chamber 14,relieving the suction in said forward chamber 14. An alternative meansto relieve the pressure, among others, would be to disconnect the tipadapter 101 from said medical device, exposing the adapter tip 101 tosaid atmosphere. In this illustration there is a central receptacle 31as a means for connecting said piston head 18 and said piston shaft 17,but in other examples they could be fabricated integral to each other.

FIG. 4 is an illustration of an embodiment of a piston gasket 19,comprising a base 40 and a rim 41 generally perpendicular thereto. Saidpiston gasket 19 is generally round in one dimension and is in contactwith an inner aspect of said cylinder 10, but not secured to it, so thatwhen said piston is moved within said cylinder 10, said piston gasket 19serves as a means to prevent movement of gas or liquid from said forwardchamber 14 into said back chamber 13 until a critical threshold ofsuction pressure is achieved. When said critical threshold of suctionpressure is achieved, said means to prevent movement of vacuum from saidback chamber 13 into said forward chamber 14 fails, and suction istransmitted to said forward chamber and to a medical device attachedthereto. In one embodiment, once suction is transmitted to said forwardchamber and to a medical device attached thereto, the piston gasket 19reverts to its original shape and again serves as a means of anair-tight seal between said forward chamber 14 and said back chamber 13.In another embodiment, once suction is transmitted to said forwardchamber 13 and said piston gasket 19 transforms to its initial shape, itis incompetent to the movement of gases and fluids on retraction andallows free movement of gases and fluids that were accumulated in saidback chamber 13 into said forward chamber 14. In another embodiment,said back chamber has other means for allowing ejection of gases orfluids therein, in one example for illustration only that doesn't limitthis disclosure, said means of allowing ejection of gases or fluids fromsaid back chamber may be a one valve located accordingly on said wallsof said back chamber through which fluids or gases can passunidirectionally out of said back chamber 13 with retraction of saidpiston rod 17 toward said back end 11 of said ergonomic suction syringe.In one embodiment said piston gasket 19 is securely attached to aforward aspect of said piston head 18, but in other embodiments saidgasket 19 could be attached to an outer circumference of said pistonhead 18, or said gasket 19 could be attached to the back surface of thepiston head 18, or said gasket 19 could be absent altogether, amongother embodiments.

In FIG. 5A another exemplary embodiment of an ergonomic suction syringeis illustrated, this example also including an exit port 102 for gasesor fluids from said forward chamber 14, in this exemplary embodimentcomprising a one-way valve such that fluid or gas can exit said forwardchamber 14 but not enter said forward chamber 14, as the piston isslidably moved forward relative to the cylinder 10, in this example saidone-way valve is securely attached to the side of the forward chamber14. FIG. 5B illustrates another embodiment of said exit port 102, inthis example securely attached to the side of a tip adapter 101. It canbe readily envisioned by those familiar with the field that said exitport 102 could also be an external component and reversibly connected tosaid adapter tip 101.

FIG. 6A is an illustration of a magnified view of exemplary side ports102 which in these examples comprise one-way valve, in this examplecomprising a flap valve, which comprises a closable valve element 105and an attachment means 106 to one aspect of said one-way valve. In thisillustration, the arrow is within said forward chamber 14, and shows thedirection of motion of gas out of the cylinder 10 during forward motionof the piston 16 relative to the cylinder 10. Those familiar with theart will understand that during initial forward motion of the piston 16,gas will be expelled from said forward chamber 14 to said atmosphere. Inone embodiment, when forward motion of said piston 16 continues untilsaid critical threshold of suction is achieved and said gasket 19 failsto provide an air-tight seal, thereby permitting movement of gas fromsaid forward chamber 14 to said back chamber 13 and transmission ofsuction from said back chamber 13 to said forward chamber 14, gas willbe initially drawn into said forward chamber 13 in a direction indicatedby the arrow, and said flap 105 will move to a closed position as shownin FIG. 6B, preventing gas from outside of said ergonomic suctionsyringe from entering said forward chamber 14, thereby preservingsuction therein and by extension in an attached medical device. FIG. 6Cis a cut-away magnified view of a similar one-way valve, comprising inthis embodiment a duck-bill valve, shown in an open position for exampleduring initial forward motion of said piston (arrow depicts direction ofmotion of gas from the forward chamber 14 to said atmosphere), and inFIG. 6D, after a critical threshold of suction pressure is achieved andsaid gasket 19 fails to provide air-tight seal, thereby permittingmovement of gas from said forward chamber 14 to said back chamber 13 andtransmission of suction from said back chamber 13 to said forwardchamber 14, a closable member 105 will move to a closed position,thereby preventing loss of suction in said forward chamber 14 and anyattached medical device.

FIG. 7 is another embodiment of an ergonomic suction syringe, in thisexample including a one-way valve comprising an aperture 107 in asidewall of said cylinder 10 forward chamber (not shown) covered with acompliant band as a means to permit egress of gas from said forwardchamber during forward motion of said piston 16 relative to saidcylinder 10 while preventing ingress of gas from said atmosphere intosaid forward chamber 14 after a critical threshold of suction pressureis achieved and said gasket 19 fails to provide air-tight seal betweensaid forward chamber 14 and said back chamber 13, whereby suction istransmitted from said back chamber 13 to said forward chamber 14.

FIG. 8 and FIG. 9 illustrate another exemplary embodiment of anergonomic suction syringe shown in longitudinal sections, in which saidpiston 16 is advanced generally toward a forward end of a forwardchamber 14, and in said configuration vacuum would be present in saidback chamber 13 but not transmitted to said tip adapter 101 of saidergonomic suction syringe. In this embodiment said piston rod 17comprises a hollow central lumen 111, and also comprises at least anaperture 112 as a means of egress that permits fluid and gascommunication between an inner aspect and an outer aspect of said pistonrod 17, said aperture 112 disposed generally toward a forward end ofsaid piston rod 17. Further, in this exemplary embodiment of anergonomic suction syringe there is an inner cylinder tube 110 thatcomprises a hollow central lumen, and that is air-tight securely mountedto a forward element of said cylinder 10, and over which said piston rod17 is mounted thereon slideably but generally sealed to movement ofliquid or gas between an outer aspect of said inner cylinder tube 110and an inner aspect of said piston rod 17. Moreover, in this exemplaryembodiment of an ergonomic suction syringe said inner cylinder tube 110comprises at least an aperture 113 generally disposed toward a forwardend of said inner cylinder tube 110 that permits fluid or gascommunication between an inner aspect of said inner cylinder tube 110and an outer aspect of said inner said cylinder tube 110, said outeraspect of said inner cylinder tube corresponding to an inner aspect ofsaid piston rod 17 where said inner cylinder tube 110 and said outerpiston rod 17 overlap. In some embodiments of said ergonomic suctionsyringe said inner cylinder tube 110 may also comprise at least anotherforward aperture 114 that serves as a communication between said forwardchamber 14 and an inner lumen of said adapter tip 101, thereby byextension to an attached medical device (not shown). Said forwardaperture 114 for example is located in a position such that it allowsgas or liquid to pass from said forward cylinder chamber 14 duringadvancement of said piston 16 until said piston head 18 covers saidforward aperture 114, thereby sealing further passage of fluid or gasacross said forward aperture 114, and allowing vacuum to be transmittedto said adapter tip 101 without any loss of vacuum through said forwardaperture 114. For example, a way of operating this embodiment of anergonomic suction syringe is to connect said ergonomic suction syringeto a medical device at an adapter 101 generally disposed at a forwardend of said cylinder 10, and to begin application of vacuum to saidmedical device by starting with said piston 16 fully retracted in adirection toward said back end 11 of said cylinder 10 such that saidpiston head 18 is generally disposed toward said back end of said backchamber 13, and then advancing said piston 17 forward in said cylinder10, to a position generally depicted in FIG. 8, said advancing motiongenerating vacuum in said back chamber 13, and continuing to advancesaid piston 16 until said piston head 18 is generally disposed toward aforward end of said forward chamber 14, advancing said piston 16 untilsaid piston rod aperture 112 generally aligns with said inner cylindertube aperture 113 as generally depicted in FIG. 9, whereupon vacuumgenerated in said back chamber 113 is transmitted into said inner lumen111 of said inner cylinder tube 110, and thereby to said attachedmedical device (not shown) via a lumen 115 of said adapter tip 101, saidlumen 115 of said adapter tip in some embodiments also comprising aone-way valve that permits fluid or gas to enter said forward chamber 14but not to exit said forward chamber 14. Further, said piston rod 16 orsaid inner cylinder tube 110 may comprise means of maintaining alignmentof said piston rod aperture 112 and said inner cylinder tube aperture113 such that when said piston rod 16 is advanced said piston rodaperture 112 interfaces directly with said inner cylinder tube aperture113. In an exemplary embodiment, said advancing motion of said piston 17in said cylinder 10 causes pressurization of a liquid or of a gas insaid forward chamber 14 of said cylinder, said liquid or gas therebybeing expelled from said anterior chamber 14 through said forwardaperture 114 of said inner cylinder tube 110, and then in one exemplaryembodiment said liquid or gas being further expelled from said ergonomicsuction syringe by means of a port 102, which may in some cases comprisea one-way valve that permits flow of fluid or gas out of said forwardchamber 14 to an atmosphere but not in an opposite direction from saidatmosphere into said forward chamber 14.

FIG. 10A is an oblique lateral surface view of another exemplaryembodiment of an ergonomic suction syringe where a means fortransferring vacuum 116 from said back chamber (not shown) to saidforward chamber (not shown) comprises an expansion of a side wall of aforward aspect of said cylinder 10, said expansion resulting in a lossof contact of a piston head 18 or a piston head gasket 19 at that regionto an inner wall of said cylinder 10, thereby permitting transmission ofa vacuum from said back chamber 13 to a forward end of said forwardchamber 14 and thereby to a medical device attached thereto. FIG. 10B isan end-on surface view of an ergonomic suction syringe depicted in FIG.10A.

FIG. 11A is an oblique lateral surface view of another exemplaryembodiment of an ergonomic suction syringe where a means fortransferring vacuum 116 from said back chamber 13 to said forwardchamber 14 comprises a hollow tube securely attached to a forward aspectof said cylinder 10, a long axis of said tube's orientation beingessentially in line with a long axis of said cylinder 10, said hollowtube thereby permitting transmission of a vacuum from said back chamber13 to a forward end of said forward chamber 14 and thereby to a medicaldevice attached thereto. FIG. 11B is an end-on surface view of anergonomic suction syringe depicted in FIG. 11A.

FIG. 12 is a longitudinal cut-away view of another exemplary embodimentof an ergonomic suction syringe in which a means 116 for transmission ofvacuum generated in said back chamber 13 to said forward chamber 14 isan annular expansion of the cross-sectional diameter of a forward aspectof said cylinder 10.

FIG. 13 is a longitudinal cut-away view of another exemplary embodimentof an ergonomic suction syringe in which a means for transmission ofvacuum generated in said back chamber 13 to said forward chamber 14 isfor said cylinder 10 to possess a variable bore, with enlargement ofsaid bore at a point 117 generally disposed to a forward end of saidforward chamber 14 relative to a bore of said cylinder 10 further towardsaid back end 11.

FIG. 14A and FIG. 14B are an oblique surface views of exemplaryembodiments of said piston head gasket 19, said piston head gasket 19comprising a generally flat disk attached securely to a piston head 18,in this exemplary embodiment further comprising a means for transmissionof vacuum from said back chamber 13 to said forward chamber 14, saidmeans comprising a flap valve 43, said flap valve 43 comprisingoverlapping membranes having an initial closed configuration as shown inFIG. 14A impervious to passage of vacuum across said flap valve 43, andat least a second open configuration as shown in FIG. 14B permittingtransmission of vacuum from said back chamber 13 to said forward chamber14. In one exemplary embodiment, conversion from said closedconfiguration to said open configuration is actuated when a threshold ofvacuum pressure is achieved, said threshold being the level of vacuum atwhich said flap valve 43 is no longer competent. It can readily beappreciated that said means for transmission could comprise otherconfigurations of one-way valves. It can further be appreciated that afeature of said one-way valves is that they serve as a means of egressfor any fluids and gases that may accumulate in said back chamber 13during use to said forward chamber 14 on a retraction maneuver of saidpiston 16 after said ergonomic suction syringe has been used to createvacuum in a medical device.

FIG. 15A and FIG. 15B are longitudinal cutaway views of anotherexemplary embodiment of an ergonomic suction syringe. FIG. 15A depictsan ergonomic suction syringe with a piston 16 advanced to a locationsuch that a piston head 18 is generally disposed toward a forward end ofa cylinder 10, but not far enough forward that it interfaces with ameans 118 to transmit vacuum from a back chamber 13 to a forward chamber14. In this exemplary embodiment, with said piston 16 advanced forwardin said cylinder 10, there may be vacuum in said back chamber 13. FIG.15B depicts an exemplary embodiment of an ergonomic suction syringe withsaid piston 16 advanced further forward in said cylinder 10 such thatsaid piston head 18 is located within said means 118 of transmittingvacuum from said back chamber 13 to said forward chamber 14, thereby toan attached medical device if present. In this embodiment a physicalstop 119 is incorporated in the forward chamber that serves to arrestfurther forward movement of said piston 16 when said piston head 18 isin a location comprising a means 119 of vacuum transmission from saidback chamber 13 to said forward chamber 14. Said stop optimallypositions said piston head 18 to activate and maintain maximum vacuum,while not allowing said piston head 18 or said piston gasket 19 fromcontacting a forward end of said forward chamber 14 such that saidpiston head 18 or said piston head gasket 19 interfere with transmissionof vacuum or passage of gases or liquids through a tip adapter 101. Onecan readily appreciate that there are many configurations of saidphysical stop 119 that would achieve this purpose.

FIGS. 16A-D illustrate another exemplary embodiment of an ergonomicsyringe. FIG. 16A is a longitudinal cutaway view of said ergonomicsuction syringe in which said means 118 of transmission of vacuum fromsaid back chamber 13 to said forward chamber 14 comprises a defect 118in said piston head 18, said defect slidably interfacing with astructural element 120 that runs along an inner aspect of a cylinder 10wall, generally running longitudinally within said cylinder 10 andhaving a generally constant cross-sectional shape, in a generallyair-tight seal over almost the entire range of motion of said pistonhead 18 during use, except at a point generally disposed toward aforward end of said forward chamber 14 whereupon said structural element120 is not present, and whereupon advancement of said piston 16 movessaid piston head forward beyond the end of said structural element 120,leaving said defect 118 unplugged, allowing vacuum to be transmittedfrom said back chamber 13 to said forward chamber 14 through said defect118. One can readily envision that said defect 118 can have numerousalternative shapes, and FIG. 16B is an exemplary embodiment of an end-onview of said piston head 18 in which said defect 118 generally comprisesa circle, or oval, in which case said structural element 120 would havea corresponding cross-section shape. FIG. 16C is an exemplary embodimentof an end-on view of said piston head 18 in which said defect 118generally comprises a semicircle, in which case said structural element120 would have a corresponding cross-section shape. FIG. 16D is anexemplary embodiment of an end-on view of said piston head 18 in whichsaid defect 118 comprises a generally rectangular shape, or a squareshape, in which case said structural element 120 would have acorresponding cross-section shape.

FIG. 17A and FIG. 17B represent another exemplary embodiment of anergonomic suction syringe. In this exemplary embodiment, said means oftransmitting vacuum from said back chamber 13 to said forward chamber 14comprises a generally crescent-shaped defect in said piston head 18, inwhich said structural element 120 in said cylinder 10 would have acorresponding cross-section shape.

INCORPORATION BY REFERENCE

References and citations to other documents, such as patents, patentapplications, provisional patent applications, patent publications,journals, books, papers, web content, that have been made throughoutthis disclosure are hereby incorporated herein by reference in theirentirety for all purposes.

EQUIVALENTS

The invention may be embodied in other specific forms without departingfrom the spirit or essential characteristics thereof. The foregoingembodiments are therefore to be considered in all respects illustrativerather than limiting on the invention described herein. Scope of theinvention is thus indicated by the appended claims rather than by theforegoing description, and all changes which come within the meaning andrange of equivalency of the claims are therefore intended to be embracedtherein.

CONCLUSIONS

In summary, the invention disclosed herein comprises an ergonomicsuction syringe and method for performing medical procedures in whichsaid ergonomic suction syringe generates suction that can be deliveredto a medical device by a single-handed compression motion, with suctionactuated by forward motion of a piston into a cylinder, and in whichsuction can be maintained essentially permanently once activated withoutany further effort by the operator, even hands-free.

I claim:
 1. An ergonomic suction syringe comprising a cylinder, apiston, a piston rod, a piston head diaphragm, said cylinder variablydivided transversely into at least two chambers separated by a movablepiston head diaphragm, said cylinder comprising at least a back chambergenerally disposed toward a back end of said cylinder, and at least aforward chamber generally disposed toward a forward end of saidcylinder, said forward chamber having a tip adapter which comprises ameans of transmission for fluids or gases, said back chamber furthercomprising an air-tight seal to an atmosphere by a membrane generallydisposed toward a back end of said back chamber, said membrane having atleast an aperture to allow slidable motion of a piston rod there throughwhile comprising a generally air-tight seal to said piston rod, saidforward chamber separated from said back chamber by a piston headdiaphragm comprising an essentially air-tight seal between said forwardchamber and said back chamber when said piston head is positionedaccordingly in a first position generally disposed toward said back endof said cylinder, slidable forward movement of said piston headdiaphragm from said cylinder back end toward said cylinder forward endgenerating vacuum in said back chamber, said vacuum transferred fromsaid back chamber to said forward chamber by further slidable forwardmovement such that said piston head achieves a second position generallydisposed toward said forward end of said cylinder, said second positioncomprising a means for transmission of said vacuum from said backchamber to said forward chamber.
 2. An ergonomic suction syringe ofclaim 1, wherein said means for transmission of said vacuum from saidback chamber to said forward chamber is a failure of said piston headdiaphragm essentially air-tight seal when said piston head diaphragm ispositioned accordingly in said second position, said failure selectedfrom the group consisting of pressure-actuated change in configurationof said piston head, pressure-actuated opening of an aperture in saidpiston head, pressure-actuated opening of a valve in said diaphragm,pressure-actuated failure of a piston head gasket, at least part of aninner diameter of said forward chamber having a configuration such thatsaid piston head diaphragm loses air-tight contact with a forwardchamber inner wall, a conduit or channel external to said forwardchamber that allows fluid or gas to “bypass” said air-tight seal in saidpiston head diaphragm when said piston head diaphragm is positionedaccordingly, an aperture in a hollow piston rod and a correspondingaperture in an inner cylinder tube such that proper alignment of saidapertures allows transmission of vacuum through said hollow piston rodfrom said back chamber to said forward chamber.
 3. An ergonomic suctionsyringe of claim 1, comprising a means for expulsion of pressurizedmatter from said forward chamber during forward movement of said piston,said matter selected from the group consisting of a gas and a fluid. 4.An ergonomic suction syringe of claim 3, wherein said means forexpulsion of pressurized matter from said forward chamber during forwardmovement is selected from the group consisting of a valve or an apertureon an inner cylinder tube.
 5. An ergonomic suction syringe of claim 1,comprising a means for expulsion of accumulated matter in said backchamber when said piston is retracted from a forward position to a backposition during use, said matter selected from the group consisting of agas and a fluid.
 6. An ergonomic suction syringe of claim 5, whereinsaid means for expulsion of accumulated gases or liquids in said backchamber when said piston is retracted from a forward position to a backposition during use is selected from the group consisting of a valve anda pressure-actuated aperture.
 7. An ergonomic suction syringe comprisinga cylinder with a back end, said back end generally disposed toward anoperator, and a forward end, said forward end generally disposed towarda medical device, said forward end further comprising a means forreversible connection to said medical device, said cylinder beinggenerally hollow, said cylinder back end sealed to an atmosphere with amembrane containing an aperture, and said cylinder further comprising apiston generally disposed within an interior of said cylinder, saidpiston comprising a back end and a forward end, further said pistoncomprising at least a piston head at said piston forward end, saidpiston head occupying substantially the entire cross-sectional area ofsaid interior of said cylinder and further dividing said cylinder into aforward chamber and a back chamber, said piston head securely attachedto a forward end of a piston rod, said piston rod extending from saidpiston head toward said back end of said cylinder and through saidaperture in said membrane, through which said membrane said piston rodcan move slidably there through but comprising an essentially air-tightseal between said forward chamber and said back chamber when said pistonhead is positioned accordingly in a first position, said piston headfunctioning substantially as a movable diaphragm dividing said cylinderinto at least a forward chamber and at least a back chamber, said pistonhaving a means for transmission of vacuum pressure from said backchamber to said forward chamber when said piston is positionedaccordingly in a second position, and by extension transmission of saidvacuum to said attached medical device, said forward chamber alsocomprising a means of expelling pressurized matter into an atmosphereduring advancement of said piston toward said forward end.
 8. Anergonomic suction syringe of claim 7 wherein said means for reversibleconnection to medical devices is a hub adapter.
 9. An ergonomic suctionsyringe of claim 7 wherein said medical device is selected from thegroup consisting of a needle, a catheter, an angioplasty ballooncatheter, a suction tube, and a Yankauer suction tip.
 10. An ergonomicsuction syringe of claim 7 wherein said means for transmission of vacuumpressure from said back chamber to said forward chamber during forwardmovement of said piston from said first position to said second positionis selected from the group consisting of a pressure-actuated change inconfiguration of said piston head, a pressure-actuated opening of anaperture in said piston head, a pressure-actuated opening of a valve insaid diaphragm, a pressure-actuated failure of a piston head gasket, aninner wall that expands beyond the periphery of the outer diameter ofsaid piston head, a conduit or channel external to said forward chamberthat allows fluid or gas to “bypass” said air-tight seal in said pistonhead diaphragm, and an aperture in a hollow piston rod and acorresponding aperture in an inner cylinder tube such that properalignment of said apertures allows transmission of vacuum through saidhollow piston rod from said back chamber to said forward chamber.
 11. Anergonomic suction syringe of claim 7 wherein said means to expel matterfrom said forward chamber during forward movement of said piston withinsaid cylinder is a one-way valve.
 12. An ergonomic suction syringe ofclaim 11 wherein said one-way valve is generally disposed in a locationselected from the following group: toward a forward aspect of saidcylinder, on a side of said adapter tip, or mounted as a component tosaid adapter tip.
 13. An ergonomic suction syringe of claim 7 in whichsaid means for transmission of vacuum pressure from said back chamber tosaid forward chamber comprises a hollow piston rod with an aperture thatallows communication of gas or fluid in said back chamber with the innerlumen of said piston rod, said hollow piston rod disposed around aninner cylinder tube along its long axis, said inner cylinder tubesecurely attached to an inner aspect of said forward chamber and furtherin direct communication with said means for connection to said medicaldevice, said inner cylinder tube having an aperture generally locatedtowards a forward end of said inner cylinder tube, and said hollowpiston rod also comprising an aperture, said inner cylinder tube havingan outer aspect that interfaces with an inner aspect of said piston rodsuch that said interface comprises an air-tight seal, wherein said meansfor transmission of vacuum pressure from said back chamber to saidforward chamber and by extension to said attached medical device duringforward movement of said piston is achieved by the advancement of saidpiston rod to a forward location where said piston rod aperture alignswith said inner cylinder tube aperture, thereby allowing communicationof vacuum from said back cylinder chamber to said inner aspect of saidinner cylinder tube and by extension to said attached medical device.14. A method of establishing suction in a lumen of a medical devicecomprising: (a) reversibly attaching said ergonomic suction syringecomprising a back end generally disposed toward an operator and a frontend generally disposed toward a medical device, said ergonomic suctionsyringe further comprising a cylinder and a piston, said cylinderfurther comprising at least a back chamber disposed toward said back endand a forward chamber disposed toward said forward end, and said pistoncomprising at least a piston head securely attached to a piston rod,said forward chamber and said back chamber being separated from eachother by a piston head comprising an air-tight seal disposed within saidchamber, said piston head occupying substantially an entirecross-sectional area of an interior of said cylinder, said piston headalso comprising a means for vacuum transfer between said back chamberand said forward chamber, and said ergonomic suction syringe alsocomprising a means of transmission of vacuum transfer to a medicaldevice by means of an adapter tip; (b) slidably moving said piston in aforward direction from a first position to a second position within saidcylinder until said means for vacuum exchange between said back chamberand said forward chamber is actuated, thereby allowing vacuum in saidback chamber to be transmitted to said front chamber and by extension tosaid attached medical device.
 15. A method of establishing suction in alumen of a medical device of claim 14 wherein said medical device isselected from the group consisting of a needle and an angioplastyballoon catheter.
 16. A method of establishing suction in a lumen of amedical device of claim 14 wherein said medical procedure is selectedfrom the group consisting of a phlebotomy, an intravenous accessplacement, a needle biopsy, a needle aspiration of bodily fluid, avascular access placement, an angioplasty, and a vascular stentplacement.
 17. A method of establishing suction in a lumen of a medicaldevice of claim 14 wherein said means for vacuum transfer between saidback chamber to said forward chamber is a failure of said piston headdiaphragm essentially air-tight seal when said piston head diaphragm ispositioned accordingly in said second position, said failure selectedfrom the group consisting of pressure-actuated change in configurationof said piston head, pressure-actuated opening of an aperture in saidpiston head, pressure-actuated opening of a valve in said diaphragm,pressure-actuated failure of a piston head gasket, at least part of aninner diameter of said forward chamber having a configuration such thatsaid piston head diaphragm loses air-tight contact with a forwardchamber inner wall, a conduit or channel external to said forwardchamber that allows fluid or gas to “bypass” said air-tight seal in saidpiston head diaphragm when said piston head diaphragm is positionedaccordingly, an aperture in a hollow piston rod and a correspondingaperture in an inner cylinder tube such that proper alignment of saidapertures allows transmission of vacuum through said hollow piston rodfrom said back chamber to said forward chamber.
 18. A method ofestablishing suction in a lumen of a medical device of claim 14 whereinsaid ergonomic suction syringe further comprises an inner cylinder tubethat is securely attached within said cylinder, said secure attachmentgenerally forward within said cylinder, said cylinder tube having anaperture generally located towards said forward end of said cylindertube, said piston rod also comprising an aperture, said cylinder tubehaving an outer aspect that interfaces with an inner aspect of saidpiston rod such that said interface comprises an air-tight seal, whereinsaid means for transmission of vacuum pressure from said back chamber tosaid forward chamber and by extension to said attached medical deviceduring forward movement of said piston is achieved by the advancement ofsaid piston rod to a forward location such that said piston rod aperturealigns with said inner cylinder tube aperture, thereby allowingcommunication of vacuum from said back cylinder chamber to said inneraspect of said inner cylinder tube and thereby by extension to saidattached medical device by said adapter tip of said ergonomic suctionsyringe.
 19. A method of establishing suction in a lumen of a medicaldevice of claim 14 in which suction is maintained after release ofmanual force.
 20. A method of establishing suction in a lumen of amedical device of claim 14 in which suction can be maintainedessentially permanently without any application of force by saidoperator.
 21. A method of establishing suction in a lumen of a medicaldevice of claim 14 comprising a means to expel compressed gas from saidforward chamber when said piston is slidably advanced within saidcylinder.
 22. A method of establishing suction in a lumen of a medicaldevice of claim 21 wherein said means to expel compressed gas from saidforward chamber when said piston is slidably advanced within saidcylinder is a one-way valve.
 23. A method of establishing suction in alumen of a medical device of claim 14 wherein manipulation to achievesuction comprises a manual compression motion.